September 2008

September 08, 2008

Folks, just a quick note to say I'm stepping away from city hall to play in a bigger political sandbox. For the next six weeks I will be the Spectator's elections editor. In the short-term, my colleague Eric McGuiness will be covering city hall and all its antics. Hall Marks will be quiet until I return.

September 01, 2008

Are Hamilton’s dogs subsidizing cats? It’s a question councillors will debate today as they consider asking staff to investigate the prospect of licensing felines. It promises to be a controversial issue. Tim McCabe, general manger of planning and economic development, was in Halifax on a visit when the eastern city considered its own cat licensing program. There were more than 100 delegations. “People are passionate about their pets,” he notes.
Licensing cats and enforcing the rules would be a difficult challenge for the city, says McCabe. After all, “cats will be cats.”

But McCabe said it’s also an issue of fairness. Dog owners pay for licenses which support the city’s animal control program. Cat owners currently pay nothing, despite the service also dealing with felines. There’s also a frighteningly high kill rate for cats. Only 3 per cent of cats picked up by the city are ever claimed. Six in 10 are put down.

As a second issue, the city is also considering getting rid of its two pet per household limit or increasing it. Advocates say it doesn’t make sense to limit animals: bad owners can have one pet and good owners can have half a dozen. Instead of limiting pets, they argue the city should enforce bylaws that encourage responsible pet ownership, like leash laws. But opponents say the city must have a limit to discourage irresponsible owners and animal hoarding in an urban setting.

Nicole Macintyre

Nicole MacIntyre is the queen of kings. A married mother of two boys, including the world's former worst sleeper, she's also a reporter and parenting columnist at the Hamilton Spectator. A devotee of the 'whatever works' approach to child-rearing, Nicole has learned to never say "I'll never" when it comes to parenting.